As I sit on the couch admiring the editorial conglomeration of magazine clippings, online periodicals and past Her Campus pieces, I am struck by the unwavering determination of Hannah Kay Hunt, former Her Campus Wake Forest editorial campus correspondent, who, in this moment, is frantically attempting to put together a professional online portfolio for future employers. Hannah Kay (or HK as she is known to many) is from the small town of Bell Buckle, Tennessee (yes, it’s a real place), but knew from a young age that bigger things were waiting for her beyond the corn fields and herds of cattle (ok, that might be a bit dramatic). A soon-to-be-graduated senior, Hannah Kay somehow finds time in her crazy schedule to sit down with me and reflect upon her past four years at Wake Forest.
The thing about talking with Hannah Kay is, you can’t go more than a few minutes without laughing. As anyone who knows her well will tell you, her biting sense of humor and caustic wit are HK-trademarks. Ironically, Hannah Kay began her time at Wake Forest with an interest in chemistry and HES, hoping to enter the medical sector and become a doctor. However, after an unsuccessful go-round in the Science department, she decided to re-evaluate her passions. And so began her path to greatness.
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Around Thanksgiving of her freshman year (and totally over pre-med), HK began looking for internships, finally determining that her passions lay in the media sector, more specifically with books and magazines. She admits she’s always been an avid fanatic of Glamour and Vanity Fair, and also has an affinity for cooking magazines like Food and Wine. Those glossy pages ignited her drive, and sure enough, HK eventually ended up with an internship in Nashville, at Nashville Lifestyles Magazine. While the internship was mostly focused on marketing and advertising, rather than editorial, HK raves about the experience, explaining that it helped her grow and branch out of the familiar. An added bonus? She says having some marketing experience coupled with her future editorial gigs was a true advantage when applying to internships and jobs, as companies tend to look for interns who excel in multiple skill areas. Keep that in mind, collegietes!
Nashville was just the beginning. Soon enough, Hannah Kay was taking the world by storm. Literally. While abroad in London, for what she calls “the semester of her life”, Hannah Kay interned with Hair Magazine, a British beauty publication. Not only was she privileged enough to write editorial content for the magazine, but HK also regularly attended photo shoots, and scored tons of free makeup. Sigh. From there she went on to become an intern for the American Society of Magazine Editors, a prestigious program that recognizes the country’s best and brightest journalistic talents. And shortly thereafter, HK spent her summer working at People magazine for one of the most interesting, yet challenging months of her life. With twelve to sixteen hour days, HK lived and breathed journalism in the Big Apple, cementing her dream to begin a post-grad life in the City.
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Over Christmas break this year, HK continued her love of journalism by entering the more “erotic” sector…that of Cosmopolitan Magazine. As an articles intern, HK was in charge of gathering “real life college stories” about girls, their boyfriends, and their…uh…physical relationships. While it was an out-of-the-box endeavor, it was an experience she says will last a lifetime. Hey, it’s kind of fun to know the skeletons in people’s “sex life closets”, right?
On top of professional academic success, Hannah Kay is a thriving social butterfly. She is a member of Tri Delta, a Lambda Chi little sister, and truly personifies the “YOLO” lifestyle. It has been my pleasure befriending Hannah Kay over these past three years, and I am sad to see her go, as is the entire Her Campus Wake Forest community. We know she will conquer New York, and we cannot wait to watch her shine. HCXO, HK!